John spent years at the top of Dominion Financial's sales organization, closing deals, building relationships, and mastering the lending business from the ground up.
Then the AI revolution hit.
Instead of watching from the sidelines, he leaned in.
Today, he leads Dominion Financial's Intelligence Division, building the systems that are reshaping how the company operates.
Following Curiosity With Intent
When John first began exploring AI, it wasn't part of his role.
At the time, his focus, as it had been throughout his 20+ year career, was on improving client experience and driving efficiency across teams.
That changed in 2022 during a company-wide meeting when he first heard about an emerging technology called ChatGPT. That same night, he signed up and began exploring.
What started as curiosity quickly became something more. John didn't approach AI casually. He immersed himself in it. He explored not just one platform, but many, including OpenAI, Anthropic, and any emerging tools he could access. He began building his own GPTs and internal tools for document analysis, guideline interpretation, email generation, data analysis, and continuous learning.
When he didn't understand something, he taught himself. When something failed, he documented it. Over time, he built a detailed system of inputs, outputs, mistakes, and breakthroughs. That record allowed him to move quickly, refine his approach, and avoid repeating the same problems twice.
This was not theoretical learning. It was practical, hands-on, and continuous.
Connecting Technology to the Business
As his understanding deepened, so did the application.
John moved from experimenting with tools to building more advanced systems focused on automation, orchestration, and real-world use cases inside the business.
At the same time, something became clear.
The capabilities he had been searching for throughout his career, including greater efficiency, faster decision-making, and a better client experience, were now possible in a way they hadn't been before.
Not as ideas, but as working systems.
Built From the Inside
Today, John leads Dominion's Intelligence Division, where AI development is driven internally by people who understand the business in detail.
That perspective shapes everything being built. The team has seen every loan scenario, every client interaction, and every operational challenge. They are not translating business needs to a third party. They are building directly from experience.
That proximity allows Dominion to move quickly and create tools that are immediately relevant and effective.
Improving How the Business Operates
The impact of that work is already visible across the company.
Loan files can be reviewed in minutes. Appraisal reports are analyzed with greater depth and speed than manual processes. Pricing can be generated quickly with minimal data entry. Internal tools now support everything from guidelines and fraud detection to document handling and communication workflows.
These systems are designed to support the team, not replace it. They allow people to focus on higher-value decisions while improving speed and accuracy across the board.
The result is a better experience for both employees and clients.
A Different Kind of Growth
John's path into AI was not traditional.
He did not take formal classes or follow a predefined technical track. Instead, he used the resources available to him, learned through trial and error, and continued to build as the technology evolved.
There were challenges, gaps in knowledge, and moments where solutions were not immediately clear. He continued anyway.
What drove that progress was not prior experience, but mindset. A willingness to try something new, solve problems independently, and keep improving over time.
What This Path Represents
John did not step into a role leading an intelligence division.
He grew into it.
His path reflects what is possible in an environment where initiative is encouraged, new ideas are supported, and people are given the opportunity to build beyond the scope of their original role.
At Dominion, growth is not always linear or predefined. It often comes from identifying opportunities, developing new capabilities, and taking ownership of them over time.
For those who are motivated to learn, build, and push beyond their current role, John's story is an example of how that kind of growth can take shape.
Want a story like this?
Explore open roles at Dominion and start building your own path.